SEXUALITY

Sexuality

Female sexuality is more complex and diverse than male sexuality. We discuss here the following issues

• Female sexual dysfunction
• Premenstrual syndrome

Female sexual dysfunction

Sexual desire can naturally fluctuate over the years. Statistics suggests that somewhere between 25 – 60% of women suffer from FSD (FEMALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION)

Symptoms

• Vaginal dryness
• Low libido
• Arousal issues
• Painful sex
• Difficulty reaching orgasm

Causes of FSD include

• Mental and emotional stress (fatigue, sexual abuse, loss of loved ones, financial stress etc)
• Chronic disease/ medical conditions (liver / kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes)
• Sex hormonal deficiency (breast feeding, menopause)
• Medications (chemotherapy, anti-depressants, high blood pressure medication)

Remember your sexuality is a key part of your wellbeing. Having an understanding and caring physician helps you to open up with these sensitive issues. Diagnosis is by detailed history and examination.

Management depends on the cause and is multifactorial ranging from

• healthy life style education (avoid smoking and alcohol, regular exercise, relaxation techniques)
• alternative medicine (mindfulness, acupuncture, yoga etc)
• sexual counselling
• HRT
• medications (Viagra)